Not Quite a Fairy Tale
by AstonishedOwl
Summary: [Where, in all these stories of happiness and light, is the one who fell into darkness?] From Riku's PoV, yet still pretty Soracentric. Edited!


"It's not over. It's just….not."

It can't be over. Everyone is on the other side, they all are waiting for us to come back, so we all can live a normal life, like we used to. So we have to come back, right? I mean, all the stories have it. The heroes fight a gigantic battle, show the true meaning of bravery, teach some hidden morals crap and everything, and then they come back to their family and friends, clasp in a field of daisies, and live happily ever after.

…Right?

I man, our stories have to be fairy tales, too, yeah? I mean, look at Sora. Here he is, the wielder of the Keyblade, protector of Kingdom Hearts, savior of over twenty friggin' worlds, a hero any way you can look at it. He's gotta be that big ol' knight in shining armor, the one that the little kids look up to and say that they wanna be just like him when they grow up.

…..But then there's me.

Where in the fairy tale is the person who fell into darkness? Who was unable to resist the allure of power, and had his happy little life freefall into loneliness and darkness and complete and utter terror? Where was the person who had been the best friend of the hero, then betrayed him and fought him and then essentially died at his reluctant hands?

Where, in these stories of light and happiness, is the person who gave up so much just to see his friends one more time?

"You've been hanging out in darkness too long, Riku. You gotta try to think positive."

…And again, that's Sora. He's the one who would makes anyone and _everyone_ feel better about themselves. The kid who takes on bullies twice his size when they teased me about my hair color. The person who always has a grin on his face, even if he's just barely avoided a crushing blow to his head.

That general do-gooder that held up the code of chivalry and righteousness and all those happy ideas that simply cannot exist.

And yet….perhaps Sora is the weakest of us all.

He's so bathed in light, so pure and so innocent, that the Realm of Darkness is affecting him more so than it had for me, when I was on the other side of that door. He's bad at hiding it: he's scared, he's giving up. And, unfortunately, I'm not him. I can't find the good in things, I know that if I'm in a situation where I'm gonna die, then I'm not gonna hope for someone to come and save me. But Sora is, and when that fuzzy feeling of hope leaves, it _hurts.  
_

The hero, the symbol of all that is light and hope, is giving up.

"You know, maybe the darkness has gotten to me too."

And, unlike me, he has a reason for his despair. He's trapped in a place that couldn't stand the likes of him, and crushes his spirit. And outside, so tangibly close, and yet so unbearably far, is his life. His friends, his family, and the one he loves. What? Anyone with eyes can see how much those two mean to each other. Except, of course, themselves.

But . . . . what if I bring back the darkness? What if the Heartless are attracted to Ansem's shadow, and they come back and destroy the islands again, and its all because of me?

No. I can't do it. I caused all of this, _I_ was the one who made Sora have to travel to all these worlds to find Kairi and me, _I _was the one who basically destroyed all of his chances of having a happy, normal life. If I stayed around Sora and Kairi, all these shadows in my heart . . . . I would mess everything up again.

So there's only one thing, right? I have to stay here, so I won't bring destruction again.

"This world is perfect for me . . . . . if this is what the world really is, then maybe I _should_ fade back into darkness."

But doesn't the hero always have a catch phrase? Like, "Begone, ye denizens of evil!" Except that my stupid best friend has something only slightly less cheesy. I mean, he's done it in almost all these worlds he's been to. He doesn't like to leave someone behind, does he?

"Yeah . . . . the other side . . . . the Realm of Light is safe now . . . . Kairi, the king, and the others are there."

That idiot. He's giving up the life he loves, simply to make sure I won't be in darkness any longer than I have. But I'm not as clueless as you, Sora. I know that you're lying. You don't want to stay here.

You know what? I'll make sure, no matter what it takes, that _you_, Sora . . . . I'll make sure you get back home, okay? Even if I have to stay behind, you can live your life. I threw away mine, and you got dragged into this mess. You go alone, okay?

"We'll go together."

. . . . Nice job, Sora. You have _completely and utterly _ignored all of my soliloquy.

But that's a hero, right? He's got moral code that people think has died out, the heart to keep all his friends always with him, and that weird confidence that radiates from him, that makes you can't help but pay attention, that lets him do the impossible.

And if Sora is the hero . . . . . well, I'll just be the decidedly hotter sidekick.

**A/N**

Well. My first Riku oneshot. Still had a lot of Sora in it, though. What can I say? I'm a Sora fangirl, all the way to the bone.

I looked at the version I had posted before, and after a nice long conversation between my forehead and my desk, I rewrote it. I mean, I switched from first-person to third person about halfway through! Good grief. And to all the reviewers, many thanks for still reviewing despite the incredible crappiness. This is for all of you, you know who you are!

I liked both KH endings, the first was so tragic, and the second was incredibly heartwarming. Can't decide which one I like more. Your choice? (I may do an oneshot on whichever one people like more. Serving the masses!)

Up, up, and AWAAAAAAYYY!!

-Is too weighted down with homework to dramatically fly off somewhere-


End file.
